The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) is committed to ensuring that all Minnesota students have access to high quality educators in their schools. With over 300 home languages¹ spoken by Minnesota students and their families, there is a clear need for more opportunities for language instruction across the state. To address this need, PELSB launched the Heritage Language Pathway (HLP) cohort program in May 2024, providing an alternate route to educator licensure via portfolio. Reaching licensure candidates teaching in more than 20 districts across the state, the program has already demonstrated success, with 20 teaching licenses issued,² or in the process of being issued, to members of HLPs Inaugural Cohort. 

HLP supports heritage language and culture teachers seeking an initial or additional teaching license as they navigate the licensure via portfolio process. Teaching heritage languages in schools instills that students’ unique knowledge and abilities are valuable assets, while multilingualism beneficially impacts cognitive development, executive function, and cross-cultural understanding.³ Developing one’s home language and culture can lead to improved family relationships, self-esteem, and identity development, while simultaneously improving English language development.⁴

Utilizing an alternative pathway to teacher licensure, candidates demonstrate the same rigorous standards required of all educators licensed by PELSB in their approved portfolios. Of the portfolios already submitted for review from members of HLP, 88% have been approved.⁵ Of the licenses already issued or in the process of being issued, eight languages are represented: Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Hmong, Karen, Korean, Spanish, and Somali. Notably, these account for the first professional licenses in Minnesota for teachers of Amharic, Karen, and Somali. Exceptionally significant, Minnesota is the first state in the nation to issue teaching licenses in the Karen language, according to available information.⁶ 

The Heritage Language and Culture Licensure Pathway program provides a dedicated support and guidance to cohort members during the rigorous licensure via portfolio process. An intensive and lengthy committment, the program provides cohort members with tools to assemble and submit a portfolio for teacher licensure. HLP cohort members collaborate regularly with other cohort members, have access to expert language teacher mentors, meet regularly with PELSB's Heritage Language Pathway Specialist, and receive portfolio fee waivers. 

Space in the cohort program is limited. Applications to be a member of the next Heritage Language Portfolio Cohort are anticipated to open in Fall 2025. To learn more about the Heritage Language and Culture Licensure Pathway Program, visit PELSB’s website to sign-up for HLP specific email updates, including upcoming information sessions and future application cycles. For more information about the pathway, contact PELSB Heritage Language Specialist, Grant Boulanger, at Heritage.PELSB@state.mn.us. Please direct media requests to MediaRequests.PELSB@state.mn.us.